Method of making inlaid linoleum



Nov`2, 1937. w. RowEETAL 2,098,015

METHOD oF MAKING INLAIDLINOLEUM Filed May 22, 1935 W/LL/AM ROWE. ABRAHAMBEC/f M/LLER. INVENTOR,

ATTORNE YS,

Patented Nov. 2, 1937 UNITED STATES METHOD OF MAKING INLAID LINOLEUMWilliam Rowe, Oakland, and Abraham Beck Miller, Berkeley, Calif.,assignors to The Parafne Companies, Inc., San Francisco, Calif., acorporation of Delaware Application May 22, 1935, Serial No.` 22,734

5 Claims.

exible covering materials such as linoleum, lincrusta, and the like, andparticularly to the manufacture of so-called straight-line inlaid mate-5 rials of this class. Y I

Among the lobjects of this ,invention are: To provide a method ofapplying tesserae of straightline material `to a backing which axes themimmediately and permanently in place without the necessity of utilizingtemporary holding means for this. purpose; to Vprovide a method ofafxing pattern elements of straight-line material, which Iare smallA indimension and therefore peculiarly subject toV deformatiom which doesnot subject 15 `Said elements to such distortions; to provide a methodOfattaching to a backing continuous, grid-like `pattern elements in theform of a matrix which will serve to position and hold in place v laterapplied tesserae'; and to provide a method of 20 making straight-lineinlaid linoleums of intricate patterns at a relatively low cost. s

Ourinvention possesses numerous other objects and features of advantage,some of which, together with the foregoing, will beset forth in the 25following, description of specific apparatus embodying and utilizing ournovel method. It is therefore to be understood that our method isYapplicable to other apparatus, and that we do not limit ourselves,.inyany way, to the apparatus of 30 the present application, as we mayadopt various other apparatus embodiments, utilizing the method, withinthescope of the appended claims. .Referring to the drawing: i Figure 1is an isometric View showing aportion of a die of the type used forapplyingnarrow pattern `elements in. accordance with thisinvention,ftogether.with a section of the covering material in course ofmanufacture. Figure 2is-a similar isometric view, partly in 40 section,`showing a form of die used in Yapplying larger pattern ,elements infaccordance with this process. Y p

Figure3 is a schematic ,diagram-'illustrating the process as used toapply a reticulated pattern or matrix to a backing, whereon the largertesserae are laterapplied in the interstices of said matrix by hand.

Figure 4 is a similar `schematicdiagram illustrating the applicationofan entire inlaid patter to a covering material by this process.

Throughout. this-specification the termV linoleum is used as a genericrather than a specific term. A s here used it applies to any oftheflexible covering materials of the linoleum class, wherein a plastic orsemi-plastic coating is ap- This invention relates to the Vmanufactureof plied to a web or backing, Whether said backing be of theconventional treated burlap or of cheese cloth, paper, impregnated felt,or any other suitable material. In like manner, the term straight-linematerial includes any plastic sur- 5 face coating which may be rolledinto sheets from which tesserae may be cut and applied to the backing.In other words, the terms are used as 'defining the physical propertiesof the materials rather than their chemical composition.

Although the process of this. invention was primarily devised for useinIl connection with the processes describedin our copendingapplications, Serial Nos. 22,732 and 22,733, led simultaneouslywwiththis application, in manufacturing embossedA inlaid linoleum of thestraight-line class, such, Afor example, -as those representing ceramictilespthe process is by no means limited to such use, but is equallyvadapted to the application of patterns of anyform and to the formationof level as well as embossed surface linoleums.

Considered broadly, the process of our invention comprises overlaying yasuitable backing with a sheet or layer of straight-line linoleummaterial.. lCertain, portions of the overlying sheet, corresponding tothe pattern elements which are to be formed therefrom, are then pressedagainst the backing with sufficient force to cause them to adherethereto, the pressure at the edges of the pattern elements vinparticular being sufiiciently great to cut or score the outline of thepattern elements nearly, if not quite, through its entire thickness. Theinterstitial portions between the pattern elements thus applied remainloose and non-adherent, and are readily stripped away from the backingveither mechanically or by hand. Tesserae corresponding to other patternelements are then applied interstitial portions of the pattern, eitherby a repetition of the same processorin any otherdesirable manner, andthe entire covering is then subjected to a suicient pressure to cause aslight plastic flow of the tesserae whichconsolidates them with thebacking and with the edges of the contiguous tesserae, whereafter theentire material is subjected to the requisite curing process.

One of the most useful applications of this process is in themanufacture of linoleum in tile patterns. In the process described inour copending applications above referred to, the gridi like network vofnarrow interconnected lines representing the lmortar between the tilesis first applied toi the backing as., a matrix, and the tesseraerepresenting the tiles themselves are later laid in the interstices ofthe matrix, the

tesserae being positioned by the matrix and held in place by gravity andedge friction. The process to which this application refers isespecially adapted to the application of the matrix to the backing, andis illustrated schematically in Figure 3.

In this figure the backing I is supplied from a roll 2, and on top of itis laid the sheet 3 of straight-line material, preferably directlyvfroma pair of calendar or feed rolls 4. The straightline material 3 may bethe usual linoleum composition compounded principally of blown linseedoil, rosin and cork, or it may be of any other suitable compound whichmay be handled in the same manner, such as the composition described inthe companion case, Serial No. 22,733 above referred to.

The bacle'ng with its loosely overlying sheet of straight-line materialis next passed under a press 5 which carries the cutting and afx'ing diel. In the schematic diagram, this press is shown of the roller type,which form of press lends itself particularly to a continuous process,but it is specically to be understood that the form of press which isused for applying the linoleum material to the fabric is immaterial, andmay be any standard press such as is used for either cutting orprinting. v f

Where the patterns to be applied constitute a matrix of the typedescribed above, the die may conveniently be of the form shown in Figurel. The cutting element in this case is preferably a strip of steel 8whose lower or active surface is channeled by groove 9, leaving thesharp peripheral cutting edges I0. The. groove 3 has Va depth which isequal to or slightly lessthan thel thickness of the linoleum material 3when compacted, and the press is` adjusted so that the cutting edges lildo not penetrate the layer of fabric l. It is immaterial Whether theytouch the fabric or clear it slightly, since when the. press operatesthe action of the die is to force the material embraced by the groovesimultaneously against the fabric backing and toward the center of thepattern element, and when the die is withdrawn it leaves the material ofthe layer 3 deeply scored by the grooves I2 and strongly adherent to thebacking in those portions lying between these two grooves. The linoleummaterial, whether cut completely through or not, has nonethe-less beensubjected to so strong a shearing action immediately beneath the cuttingedges IU as practically to leave those portions of the sheet which werenot subject to the action of the die completely free, so that they maybe stripped off readily by hand or machine.

It is to be noted that a die of this characterV applies the greatestpressure to the figure elements thus punched out immediately adjacenttheir edges. This assures that the edges will be strongly adherent tothe backing, evenfthough the Vcentral portions of the figure may not be,and it follows that it is thus possible to supply suicient pressure toattach the particular pattern elements even though they may be so largethat the press would not have sufficient capacity to apply the requisitepressure throughout the entire area of the figure.

it is also to be noted that this type of die, although preferable forthe particular use speciiied, is not an essential to the process. Wherethe iigure elements are large or curvilinear in outline, dies formed asshown in Figure 2 are equally applicable, and frequently preferable.Such dies are formed by inserting sharp-edged steelor brass strength inshear, and is somewhat resilient. In

this case, the die may be in the form of a simple punch having a atsurface and a substantially vrectangular cutting edge around itsperiphery.

The overlying linoleum material is usually so weak in shear that theyielding of the layer 3 and the backing under the application of thepressure are v sufficient to sever the pattern from the remainder of thesheet. We prefer, however, to utilize the projecting cutting edges asdescribed.

The interstitial portions of the sheet 3 which are non-adherent to= thebacking, having been stripped away, their places may be illed bytesserae 2G, previously cut to fit the interstices of the matrix,whereafter the entire covering is subjected to pressure in a suitablepress, typied in the diagram by a roller 22, against which the linoleumis held by means of a pressure belt 23. Again, any form of presssuitable tothe manufacture of linoleum materials of this class may beused. Suflicient pressure is applied in the press to cause a slight flowof the linoleum material comprising the various pattern elements,consolidating the contiguous edges of the various tesserae and also thetesserae against the backing. No change in the conventional curingprocesses is made. The process is not limited to the application of anysingle group of gure elements, but, after one color of tesserae has beenapplied, the process may be repeated with another color as is shown inFigure 4. This merely requires a duplication of certain of the parts,such as the feed rolls 4 which feed the sheet 3 of straight-linematerialN to be afxed by the press roller 5 which carries the cuttingand ailxing die 1.

The remaining portions of the diagram are identical with those of Figure3, `and these elements may be duplicated as often as is neces,- sary toapply the requisite number of color elements to the pattern. Ihe dies 1,1', etc., are of course, complementary, so that the portions aixed inone operation coincide with those which are stripped away in thepreceding and succeeding ones. We claim: l

l. The method of making covering materials of the linoleum class whichincludes the steps of overlaying loosely a sheet of uncured straightline linoleum material upon a backing, pressing limited sharply definedportions of said sheet corresponding to the pattern elements of thecompleted covering against said backing to cause adherence thereto bysaid portions and to cause shearing of the linoleum material at theboundaries of said adherent portions, and stripping the remainingnon-adherent portions of said sheet from said backing.

2.'The method of making covering materials of the linoleum class whichincludes the steps of overlaying loosely a sheet of uncured straightlinelinoleum material upon a backing, simultaneously pressing limitedportions of said sheet corresponding to pattern elements of thecompleted covering against said backing to cause 'adherence thereto andscoring through a major portion of the thickness of said sheet aroundthe outline of said pattern elements, and stripping from said backingthe non-adherent portions of said sheet between the adherent portions.

3. The method of making covering materials of the linoleum class whichincludes the steps of overlaying loosel;T a sheet of uncuredstraightline linoleum material upon a backing, applying pressure tolimited areas of said sheet corresponding to pattern elements downwardlyagainst said backing and inwardly toward the central portions of saidpattern elements to cut through the major portion of the thicknessthereof and affix said pattern elements to said backing, removing theunwanted portions of the linoleum material from the backing, positioningtesserae corresponding to the remaining pattern elements in theinterstices between said rst-mentioned patten elements, and applyingpressure to the entire surface to cause sufficient plastic iiow of saidpattern elements to fill the cracks therebetween.

4. The method of making covering materials of the linoleum class whichincludes the steps of overlaying loosely a sheet of uncured straightlinelinoleum material upon a backing, simultaneously punching tesseraecorresponding to pattern elements from said sheet and pressing saidtesserae against said backing to cause adherence thereto, removing theunwanted portions of the linoleum material from the backing, ttingadditional tesserae between the first applied tesserae, and applyingsuicient pressure to all of said tesserae to cause consolidation of theadjacent edges thereof.

5. The method of making covering materials of the linoleum class whichincludes the steps of overlaying loosely a sheet of uncured straightlinelinoleum material upon a backing, simultaneously punching tesseraecorresponding to pattern elements from said sheet and pressing saidtesserae against said backing to cause adherence thereto, removing theunwanted portions of the linoleum material from the backing, repeatingeach of said steps to apply additional tesserae intermediate saidrst-named tesserae, and applying pressure simultaneously to adjacenttesserae to cause a flow thereof consolidating their contiguous edges.

WILLIAM ROWE. ABRAHAM BECK MILLER.

